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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, February 1, 2007

$1M bail for man arrested in raid

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

David Cother Finley Jr

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HILO, Hawai'i — Bail was set Wednesday at $1 million for a 64-year-old Volcano man who was arrested this week during a raid that turned up three indoor marijuana growing facilities and equipment for manufacturing hashish.

Deputy Prosecutor Jason Skier requested the unusually high bail because David Cother Finley Jr. had an airline ticket for a trip he planned to take to Mexico this weekend. Skier said Finley posed a flight risk.

District Court Judge Barbara Takase imposed the high bail until the court can hear additional arguments in a District Court hearing Friday in connection with the case.

Finley was charged with 16 drug counts after the raid Monday on the 29-acre ranch he owns on Amaumau Road.

Police seized 199 marijuana plants ranging from seedlings to 3 feet tall, along with more than 75 pounds of dried marijuana and 2 pounds of processed hashish.

Also seized were hashish manufacturing equipment, nearly 19 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and 59 methadone pills, police said.

Police said some of the marijuana was parceled into 127 individually vacuum-sealed, 1-ounce packets labeled with prices ranging from $280 to $300.

David Finley has a valid medical marijuana permit, which entitles him to grow up to seven marijuana plants as a caregiver for another person.

Police estimated the value of the seized drugs is at least $500,000, and described the ranch as "a major hashish manufacturing operation and marijuana cultivation site."

Finley is charged with promotion of a harmful drug, three counts of commercial promotion of marijuana, two counts of promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of promotion of a detrimental drug and eight counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Finley was arrested at the ranch, and his 60-year-old wife later turned herself in. Finley's wife was later released pending further investigation, police said.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.